Apparatus for handling gravel



H. G. CORDIER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING GRAVEL Filed Jan. 8, 1923 2 SheetsrSheet 1 FIEH- awumto'a HERE) 6. 6000/59.

Oct. 7 a l H. G. CORDIER APPARATUSTOR HANDLING GRAVEL Filed Jan. 8, 192 3 2 Sheena-Sheet 2 wk QM Q mN a & m N% *2 m m mm mm QR 0 Q Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

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HARRY G. CORDIER, OF FRANKFORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO ACME ROAD MACHIN- ERY COMPANY, OF FRANKFORT,'1\TEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING GRAVEL.

Application filed January 8, 1923. Serial No. 611,302.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY G. CORDIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frankfort, county of Herkimer, State of. New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Handling Gravel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to apparatus for handling gravel and other material, and has special reference'to portable apparatus of the type having a screen bin, a rotary screen for selectively discharging the different grades of material into separate compartments of the bin, and an elevator, usually of the chain and'bucket type, for conveying the material from the ground and delivering it to the screen.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus of this character which is simple, strong, and durable in construction and efficient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which may be partially collapsed for transportation purposes,- and may be easily set up for operation in a minimum length of time.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a novel and improved collapsible elevator which is particularly adapted for use in connection with a screen and screen bin of the character above indicated.

With these and other objects in view the features of the invention consist in certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 7

The several features of the invention will be clearly understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which, V Figure 1 isa view in perspective of a gravel handling apparatus in partially collapsed position, embodying the features of the invention in'their preferred form; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus when set up for operation.

The gravel handling apparatus illustrated in the drawings is provided with a truck body or frame 2 which is mounted on truck wheels 4; A screenbin 6 is mounted on or slide in the usual guideways 14 suitably formed on the ends of the screen bin. A reel shaft 16 is mounted in brackets on each end of the truck frame and a chain 18 is attached at one end to each of the reel shafts and at its other'endto a cross bar 20 connecting the frame legs 12 of each pair,

the chains 18 passing over guide pulleys 22 which are mounted on shafts 23 on the truck frame. A ratchet wheel 24 is secured to one end of each of the reel shafts 16 and is engaged by a stop pawl 26. With this construction it will be apparent that by turning the reel shafts 16, the screen and its frame may be raised, and that it will be held in raised position by means of ratchet wheels 24 and pawls 26, the usual pawl car rying bar 28 being employed to rotate the reel shafts Upon releasing the pawls 26 and the ratchet wheels 24, the screen frame is permitted to drop or settle by gravity to its retracted position. The screen is provided with the usual chute 30 mounted on the screen frame for directing the material into the forward end of the screen. 7

The apparatus is further provided with an elevator-of the chain and bucket type for conveying the gravel from the ground and delivering it into the chute 30. As shown the elevator comprises a beam 82 which is made up of a plurality of bars arranged side by side and secured together. A sprocket wheel 34 is mounted on a shaft 36 on the lower end of the beam and a To provide for th1s the legs 12 of the frame are mounted to sprocket wheel 38 is secured on a shaft 40 over the sprocket wheels 34 and 385 The shaft 40 is rotated to drive the bucket chain by means of a shaft 42' journaled in bear-,

ings in brackets on the elevator beam. The connection between the shafts 40 and d2 consists of sprocket wheels 44. and 46 secured on the shafts, respectively, and a sprocket chain l8 passing over the sprocket w eels. The shaft 42 is driven by a pulley 50 secured on one end thereof which is connected by a belt 52 with a driving pulley 54 on the shaft. of a motor 56 which is mounted on the truck frame 2.

The screen 8 is driven in timed relation to the operation of the elevator by ieans of a sprocket wheel 58 secured on the shaft 410 and connected by a sprocket chain. 60 with a sprocket wheel 2 mounted on a shaft 64: which in turn is mounted on the screen frame. A pinion 63 is secured on the inner end of the shaft 6% and engages a large gear 65 secured on the forward end of the screen.

The beam 32 is made in three pivotally connected sections 66, 68 and 70, which when the apparatus is set up for operation are held in alinement. The lower section 66 extends between the outer side bars of the intermediate section 68, and is pivoted on a bolt 72 extending through apertures in the side bars. The section 66 is held in alinem'ent with the section 68 by a removable bolt 74 extending through apertures in the upper end thereof and in the side bars of the section The intermediate and upper sections 68 and are connected'by a hinge 7 6 on the inner sides thereof, and these sections are held in alinement, when the apparatus is set up, by removable bolts 78 and 79 extending through apertures in the side bars of the intermediate section and projecting portions of bars 80 of the upper section, said projecting portions extending between the side bars of the intermediate section.

The lower end of the intermediate section 68 extends between the outer ends of supporting beams 82 projecting from the truck frame, and are pivotally mounted on bolts 84: secured in apertures in said beams 82. The intermediate section is further supported by being secured to the outer ends of pairs of struts 88 and 90 by a bolt 86 and the bolt 79, respectively, the struts projecting from the truck frame. A pair of links 92 are pivotally connectec their outer ends with the upper portion of the upper section '20, and their inner ends are pivotally mounted on brackets projecting from the upper portion of the truck frame.

With this construction, it will be apparent that when the elevator is set up for operation. the elevator beam is rigidly and securely held in proper position.

When it is desired to fold up or collapse the elevator, the sprocket chain 60 and driving belt 52 are first removed from one or both of their sprocket wheels and pulleys,

respectively, and then the bolts 74, 78, 79 and 86 are removed. This permits the hinge joint between the upper and interme diate beam sections 70 and 68 to be broken outwardly so as to swing the upper end of the upper section downwardly toward the truck frame, and to swing the intermediate section outwardly to the position shown in Fig. l, the links 92 serving to guide the sections during this movement. The removal of the bolt 74 permits the lower beam section 66 to be swung outwardly to bring its end well above the ground as shown in Fig. 1. To thus retract the lower section 66 I provide a reel shaft 94 having its ends journaled in hearings on the horizontal supporting beams 82, and having oneend provided with the usual ratchet wheel 96 and pawl 98, the reel shaft being connected with the upper end of the lower section by a chain 100. lVhen the reel shaft 9e has been operated to bring the lower section 66 into its retracted position, the section is firmly held in this position by the engagement of the stop pawl 98 with its ratchet wheel. When the elevator has been collapsed the bucket chain may be tied up to the elevator beam by means of suitable wires 102 so as to prevent the chain from unduly sagging.

VJ hen both the screen and elevator have been retracted or collapsed as above described. the height of the apparatus is so reduced as to enable it to be transported on trains without further disassembling of parts, and the parts thereof are so held as to prevent danger of rattling or displacement.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings the beam sections 68 and 70 are returned to operative position at the same time as the screen is returned to operative position. To provide for this, a pair of chains 104; are secured at one end to the up per end of the'intermediate beam section 68 and at their other end to the reel shaft 16 on the forward end of the truck frame, the chains 10; passing over guide pulleys 106 on the shaft With this construction it will be apparent that upon operating the reel shaft 16 to raise the screen 8 to operative position, the upper end of the intermediate beam section 68 will be swung inwardly and will cooperate with the guiding links 92 to return the upper section 70 to operative position. whereupon the bolts 76, 79 and 86 may be reinserted so as to hold the sections securely in place. i

The lower beam section may be returned to operative position by releasing the stop pawl 98 from its ratchet'wheel so as to permit the section to swing into place by gravity, and then the bolt 7e may be in serted.

N hen the screen and elevator have thus been returned to operative position, it is merely necessary to replace the sprocket chain 60 and the belt 52 to "complete the settin up of the apparatus for operation.

11 order to assist in supporting and steadying the apparatus when in operation, it is desirable in some cases to secure blocks 108 beneath the rear end of the truck frame and the supporting beams 82, which blocks are, of course, removed when it is desired to transport the apparatus.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the apparatus illustrated in the drawings is simple, strong, durable and compact in construction; and that it may be easily collapsed for transportation purposes and easily set up for operation in a minimum length of time.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts illustrated and described, it is to be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so far as speci fied in the claims, and may be changed or modified without departing from the broader features of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a screen bin, a screen arranged to discharge into the bin, a screen frame capable of being raised and lowered to move the screen into and out of operative position, respectively, of an elevator for conveying material to the screen when the screen is in operative position and constructed to permit its upper end to be raised and lowered into and out of operative position, respectively, and means for simultaneously raising the screen frame and said upper end of the elevator into operative position.

2. The combination with a screen bin, a rotary screen adapted to discharge into the bin, a screen frame adapted to be raised and lowered to move the screen into and out of operative position, respectively, of an elevator for conveying material to the screen comprising a beam, sprocket wheels mounted on the ends of the beam, a bucket carrying chain passing over said sprocket wheels, said beam being made in two sections pivotally connected end to end so as to permit the upper section and its sprocket wheel to be swung into and out of operative position, means for driving said sprocket wheels and chain, and connections for rotating said screen, and means for raising the screen into operative position and for swinging said upper section of the beam into operative position.

3. The combination with a screen bin, a rotary screen adapted to discharge into said bin when the screen is in operative position, a screen frame adapted to be raised and lowered into and out of operative positions, respectively, of an elevator for conveying material to the screen comprising a beam,

sprocket wheels mounted on the ends of the beam, a bucket carrying chain passing over said sprocket wheels, said beam being made in relatively movable sections so as to en able the upper end of the "elevato'r'to be raised and lowered into and out of operative position, respectively, means for driving said sprocketwheels and chain, and connections therewith for rotating said screen, I and means for simultaneously'raising the screen intooperative position and for raising the upper end of the elevator into operative position. I i

4. A gravel handling apparatus 'of the class described having, in combination, a frame, an elevator mounted on the frame comprising a beam, sprocket wheels mounted on the ends of the beam, a bucket chain passing over the sprocket wheels, said beam being made in three sections arranged end to end and pivotally connected so as to enable the uppermost section to be swung downwardly and the lowermost section to be swung upwardly out of operative positions, a link connecting the uppermost section and the frame for guiding the swinging movement of said section, and means for swinging said uppermost and lowermost sections into operative positions. 7

5. The combination with a screen bin, a screen arranged to discharge intothe bin, a screen frame capable of being raised and lowered to move the screen into and out of operative positions, respectively, of an elevator for delivering material to the screen when the screen is in operative position and constructed to permit its upper end to be raised and lowered into and out of operative position, respectively, a reel, connections between the reel and screen frame, and connections between the reel and said elevator for simultaneously raising the screen frame and said upper end of theelevator. intooperative position.

6. The combination with a screen bin, a-

screen arranged to discharge into the bin, a i

screen frame capable of being raised and lowered to move the screen into and out of operative position, respectively, an elevator for delivering material to the screen when the screen is in operative position and constructed to permit its upper end to be raised and lowered into and out of operative positions, respectively, a reel, connections be tween the reel and screen frame, connections between the reel and said elevator for rais ing the screen into operative position and for raising the upper end of the elevator into operative position, and a second reel and suitable connections for raising the lower end of the elevator out of operative position.

7. The combination with a frame, of an elevator mounted on the frame comprising a beam, sprocket wheels mounted on the ends of the beam, abucket chain passing over'the sprocket wheels, said beam being made in at least two sections pivotally connected end to end with the upper section carrying the upper sprocket wheel, a pivotal connection between the lower end of the lower section and said frame so as to enable the upper end of the latter section to be swung outwardly from the frame, a reel, connections between the reel and the lower section for returning the section to its normal operative position, and a link connecting the frame and the upper section for causing the upper end of the upper section to be swung downwardly toward the frame when the other section is swung outwardly from the frame, and for causing the upper end of the upper section to be swung upwardly away from the frame when the other section is swung toward the frame, and means for holding said sections in the positions moved.

8. The combination with a bin, of means for discharging material into the top of the bin from the ground comprising a gravel. elevator capable of being contracted longitudinally, and connections between the bin 25 and elevator for supporting the elevator.

HARRY G. CORDIER. 

